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I love that this stove top stuffing meatloaf doesn’t taste like a shortcut, even though it absolutely is one. Savory and herby all the way through, browned outside, moist inside, with a sweet, tangy ketchup glaze. Add mashed potatoes and call dinner done.
Meatloaf was my mother-in-law’s signature dish, and whenever we have meatloaf at my house, we think of her. Stove top stuffing meatloaf is what I make for family dinner on a regular weeknight, because it’s one of those no-fuss dinners that feels familiar and filling.
I want my meatloaf browned on the outside, so I shape it free-form in a 9×13 instead of packing it into a loaf pan. It gets room to brown on every side, and with 85/15 beef it isn’t sitting down in its own fat the way it can in a loaf pan.
If you’re planning the rest of the week, you’ll find more weeknight dinners in my easy beef recipes.
WEEKNIGHT FAVORITE
Why I Let a Box of Stove Top Season My Meatloaf
When I want meatloaf without pulling out a long list of seasonings, I grab a box of Stove Top. It holds the meatloaf together and seasons it at the same time, and with the ketchup and garlic in there too, I don’t need to add any extra salt. That’s a big part of what makes this such an easy weeknight dinner.
What Goes Into This Meatloaf
- Ground beef: I use 85/15 because it has enough fat to keep the meatloaf moist and flavorful without making it overly greasy. That’s the beef I made this recipe with, so it’s the one I can vouch for.
- Stove Top Stuffing: I use the Savory Herbs variety because I like the traditional herb flavor. It’s what gives this meatloaf with stuffing more flavor than a basic one.
- Ketchup: Ketchup does two jobs here. Half goes into the meat mixture for flavor, and the other half goes on top as the sweet, tangy glaze.
- Milk and water: Both go in to give the dry stuffing its moisture, and the milk adds a little richness too. I use whole milk, but 1% works, and I wouldn’t expect it to make a big difference in the finished meatloaf.
How to Make Stove Top Stuffing Meatloaf
Step 1: Line the Dish With a Foil Sling Fold a long piece of heavy duty foil lengthwise so it runs the length of a 9×13 baking dish, as wide as the meatloaf will be, with extra hanging over both ends.
Step 2: Mix and Shape the Loaf Add everything except the second half of the ketchup to a large bowl, including the whole box of dry stuffing mix. Mix with a big spoon or your hands until it’s well combined, then shape it into a loaf on the foil.
Step 3: Bake, Bake uncovered at 350°F for 40 minutes.
Step 4: Glaze and Finish Spread the rest of the ketchup over the top, staying away from the edges so it does not slide down. Bake 20 more minutes until the center reads 160°F.
Step 5: Rest and Slice Let it rest for 5 minutes so the juices settle and the meatloaf firms up, then slice it.
Love meatloaf but haven’t found a recipe I really enjoyed until this one…delicious and makes great sandwiches too! Will definitely make this again and recommend!
What I Serve With It
This is classic comfort food for me, so it goes on the table with mashed potatoes, a green salad and warm dinner rolls. My mashed potato casserole takes care of the potatoes. If you want a cooked vegetable instead of the salad, my easy garlic green beans are a good fit. For bread, air fryer garlic bread can stand in for the rolls.
Leftovers, Make-Ahead and Freezing
Leftovers: Keep leftover meatloaf in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and reheat slices in the microwave for 1 ½ to 2 minutes. At my house, the leftovers turn into meatloaf sandwiches.
Make it ahead: You can mix and shape the meatloaf up to 24 hours before baking. Cover it tightly, keep it in the fridge, and bake it as written, going by the thermometer since it goes into the oven cold.
Freeze one for later: One of my readers makes two meatloaves at a time and freezes the second one unbaked for later. She leaves the ketchup topping off until it’s time to bake, then thaws it in the fridge overnight and bakes it as written to 160°F.
Freezing a baked meatloaf: Wrap the whole loaf in a double layer of heavy duty foil, or wrap slices in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw a whole loaf in the fridge overnight, then reheat it in a 350°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
More Meatloaf and Ground Beef Dinners
Stove Top Stuffing Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef (I used 85/15 ratio)
- 6 ounces box Stove Top Stuffing (I used Savory Herbs variety)
- ⅔ cup ketchup divided (⅓ cup for the meatloaf and ⅓ cup for the glaze)
- ½ cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 large eggs slightly beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Tear a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil. Fold it lengthwise to run the length of a 9×13 baking dish with enough overhang to lift the meatloaf out of the pan. When folding the foil, make sure it is wide enough to match the width of the meatloaf.
- Add the ground beef, entire contents of the box of Stove Top Stuffing, ⅓ cup ketchup, milk, water, minced garlic and beaten eggs to a large mixing bowl.2 pounds ground beef , 6 ounces box Stove Top Stuffing, ½ cup whole milk, ⅓ cup water, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 2 large eggs, 0.33 cup ketchup
- Mix the ingredients until well combined, using a large spoon or your hands. (If you are using your hands, I strongly suggest using disposable nitrile gloves. This will keep your hands clean and help prevent the spread of germs.)
- Transfer the meatloaf to the prepared baking dish and shape into a loaf.
- Bake for 40 minutes, uncovered.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven. Use a spoon or silicone pastry brush to spread the remaining ⅓ cup of ketchup over the surface of the meatloaf. (When spreading the remaining ketchup, make sure to avoid the edges of the meatloaf to prevent it from sliding down.)0.33 cup ketchup
- Return the meatloaf to the oven to cook for an additional 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. (Use an internal meat thermometer to check the temperature)
- Allow the meatloaf to rest for 5 minutes. Slice before serving.
Jenn’s Notes
- I use the stuffing mix dry, straight from the box. The milk, water, eggs and ketchup soften it as the meatloaf bakes.
- I keep the ketchup glaze off the edges so it stays on top instead of sliding down into the dish.
- I check the center with a meat thermometer for 160°F, then let it rest 5 minutes so it firms up before slicing.
i just made this for our Friday dinner add,mushrooms, orange and yellow peppers onion, chicken stock milk, put cheese in mix, socked my breadcrumbs, stove top, and put a glaze on top last 30 mins ( i made big meat loaf) wish I could send pic, locks so yummy thanks 😊
We love this. Love meatloaf but haven’t found a recipe I really enjoyed until this one…delicious and makes great sandwiches too!
Will definitely make this again and recommend!
It didn’t have any flavor.
Yum!
I did it! I made it! Just like you said and it’s so great!
I’ve never been great at meatloaf and this recipe caught my attention because I love Stove Top Stuffing. It turned out well and I did make a few changes. I omitted the water because I wanted a less moist loaf and added some horseradish sauce and Worcestershire sauce because I like those flavors. My husband gave this two thumbs up!
Thanks for your comment. We like our meatloaf less moist also, so when I make it, I’ll leave out that extra water also and the texture should come out just the way we like it.
Bake it on 1or 2 slices of bread to absorb the grease while cooking then discard
This is 2/27/25 I made this meatloaf, only thing I left out was the water, we didn’t k ow if it would taste good with Stovetop. Stuffing, but it’s grand, we love it, thanks!
I love how else to make it
ii wasn’t sure if you actually made the stuffing beforehand or just throw in dry ingredients to the beef ! but since it didn’t say make the stuffing i threw it in and still came out delish !! please advise